Needlepoint stitches and threads are fun!

Right, you have your needlepoint pattern, diagrams of the needlepoint stitches and a pile of threads - now comes the fun part.

Given a needlepoint pattern, fabric or canvas and a variety of threads the students taking part in my Textures to Dye for classes have great fun. It is always amazing to me how stitchers can start with the same pattern but end up with something unique.

Even given the same threads each stitcher will use them for different needlepoint stitches giving a totally different look to the finished piece. Take the following three photographs for example.

Infinity

Ann and Alison attended the same class and picked the same hank of mixed threads (Oliver Twists One Offs) to stitch their Infinity pattern. The hanks consist of a selection of cottons, rayons, linens or wools all space-dyed in the same dye bath so that they blend together. The needlepoint stitches used in the designs are the same, however the choice and use of fibres give very different results.

In the right hand sample the cross stitch rows stand out more when worked in a chunkier thread whereas the smrynas give a delicate effect when stitched with a fine cotton. The contrast between the matt and shiny give this piece extra dimension, reminding me of a frame within a frame.

Ann's piece on the left, however, looks luxurious with its use of shiny threads. She has used the contrast between matt and shiny in her scotch stitch border around the edge.

If we now introduce totally different colours it is becoming tricky to spot that the pieces are all worked from the same pattern using the same needlepoint stitches. Margaret chose greens for her project as shown in the centre.

This time a metallic thread adds empahasis to certain parts of the design, contrasting with the mainly matt threads used elsewhere. Margaret chose her threads carefully, using the range of colours included in her hank to great effect in the scotch stitch border. One row of cross stitch worked in a finer thread helps to make the central square stand out.

Tranquillity

One of the highlights of the Textures to Dye for classes is when previous students bring in the work they did in an earlier workshop to compare with each other. Even though they know they used the same pattern their original use of colour and texture result in joy and excitement during this show and tell session. Although a different pattern to the one above, the three pieces below again use the same needlepoint stitches, but were worked at different classes.

The right hand model uses the pink thread for the slanted gobelin needlepoint stitches making them the main feature of the piece. The metallic thread used for the eyelets gives the effect of little jewels. The darker tones used for both the central rhodes stitches and the slanted gobelin border ties the piece together.

In contrast Jean used shiny golden tones for her slanted gobelin square and worked the remaining slanted gobelin in green thread. Golden rhodes stitches in the centre remind me of sheaves of wheat standing in a field surrounded by green hedges.

At first glance it is difficult to see that the centre sample is worked from the same chart. This one reminds me of a knot garden, with pinkish brick pathways in between the flower beds. The thin thread and pale tones make the rectangular areas stand out and the darker outlines bring them into focus. The various pinkish tones used for the rhodes stitches in the middle resemble a flower bed full of pretty blooms.

Hope

The following two examples were not stitched at a workshop. In fact the left hand piece is my own stitching, whilst the right hand sample was stitched by a customer in her own home.

Again both pieces show the same design, Hope, but we chose to stitch them in completely different ways.

I picked my favourite colour, purple, and a hank of Oliver Twists' One Offs, whereas Erica chose a more monochromatic colour scheme with a plain colour contrasting with a multi-coloured thread.

My version tends to show off the shiny thread used for the rhodes diamonds in the centre whereas Erica's careful choice of colour has highlighted the four different stitches used in the triangular areas.

Over to you

I hope these examples have helped to show that your creativity and the choices you make can lift your work out of the ordinary and make it unique! You may like to compare the samples above with my original needlepoint patterns. I have to confess to liking my students work more than my own!

Why not show us how different your finished piece looks in the Show and Tell gallery. Its easy to upload your own work to the site for others to see and comment on just like Erica did.

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